I was surprised to see people smoking in the barns at the Devon Horse Show!
I have never boarded at a barn that allowed smoking and I don’t often stable my horse at shows so this was surprising to me. I guess people smoking in the barn is just one of the many potential risks we expose our horses to when we take them out of their bubble that is home 
I wonder what the insurance implications are for the horse show…?
My assumption would be that smoking isn’t technically allowed but there’s not nearly enough manpower to enforce.
[QUOTE=independentlyawesome;7592629]
My assumption would be that smoking isn’t technically allowed but there’s not nearly enough manpower to enforce.[/QUOTE]
I don’t even see any “no smoking” signs.
It would be a shame if that facility went up in smoke because of someone not knowing, without needing a sign, that it’s a bad idea to smoke in/around the barns or other buildings.
Is it just me or have I seen more dumb behavior at horse shows than ever recently? The last show I was at it was pretty annoying–loose dogs harassing horses, people handling their horses irresponsibly, etc. Maybe I was just stabled next to the wrong people. I haven’t seen much smoking in the barns, though. Smoking in the barns is an offense that I would be mentioning at the show office for sure, the consequences can be devastating. I do wish that horse show management would enforce rules more vigorously, especially the loose dog issue and definitely if there were issues with people smoking in barns.
It has to do with the decreasing level of ‘horsemanship’ and knowledge among the horse-owning populace in general, IMO.
hj trainers smoke in the barns all the time…blows my mind
Klassy.
You want to see smoking in a barn??? Go to a TWH barn!!! OMG!!!
[QUOTE=sdlbredfan;7592979]
It has to do with the decreasing level of ‘horsemanship’ and knowledge among the horse-owning populace in general, IMO.[/QUOTE]
Really? I remember in the late 70’s and early 80’s people smoked around barns all the time. Trainers even smoked while riding. They also warmed up over fences in the barn aisle and polling was pretty standard.
I have politely asked people to smoke outside barns and if they do not cooperate, I find security. If they give me a hard time, I tell them if they want their horse to become fried that is ok but I do not want that to happen to mine! I do not know who owns Devon’s grounds but most public places do not allow smoking.
Some smokers are just plain stupid though. I was taking some visitors for a tour thru our barn and despite the no smoking signs, I turn around and see someone smoking! I jumped all over her and she was surprised “oh, is the smoke bad for them?” !!! Yeah, along with the flames!!! Duhhhhhhh!
You can’t fix stupid.
[QUOTE=copper1;7593589]
I have politely asked people to smoke outside barns and if they do not cooperate, I find security. If they give me a hard time, I tell them if they want their horse to become fried that is ok but I do not want that to happen to mine! I do not know who owns Devon’s grounds but most public places do not allow smoking.
Some smokers are just plain stupid though. I was taking some visitors for a tour thru our barn and despite the no smoking signs, I turn around and see someone smoking! I jumped all over her and she was surprised “oh, is the smoke bad for them?” !!! Yeah, along with the flames!!! Duhhhhhhh![/QUOTE]
The security guys at Devon, when I was there mid 90s, was a crew that was at most of the big shows, great guys, former LE iirc… and very helpful [we chased down a horse at The Royal Dressage Festival at like 3 am that at first I assumed was a hallucination as my tired self was braiding away… they were awesome].
[QUOTE=PonyPenny;7593530]
Really? I remember in the late 70’s and early 80’s people smoked around barns all the time. Trainers even smoked while riding. They also warmed up over fences in the barn aisle and pooling was pretty standard.[/QUOTE]
Ah, yes, the oft referred to Good Old Days. That was BDT too and it was strictly no big deal.
And I think you meant poling not pooling:lol:, although if that helped they’d have done it in the barn aisle next to the fence with the tack strips. The Reiners, called Stock Horses back then, used to openly “fence” them ( slam them head in into a warm up ring fence to get them the equivalent of a rap to back them off for a sharper stop before going in). Good times…
We have, for the most part, moved away from such public displays of superior horsemanship.
There were signs in the brown barns, not sure about the others. I would mention it in the show office. They are pretty responsive.
I confronted a woman just this weekend sitting in a golf cart and puffing away right next to the stalls at KHP. She was clearly close enough for errant sparks from the ash to light up shavings or hay, therefore putting the whole barn at risk. She backed down pretty darn quickly. I suspect there was more smoke coming out of my ears than off her cigarette.
[QUOTE=Zuri;7593980]
There were signs in the brown barns, not sure about the others. I would mention it in the show office. They are pretty responsive.[/QUOTE]
Well I’m glad there are some signs. My horse is stabled on the other side of the road and I still haven’t noticed any signs. And I continue to see even more smokers back.
Smoke inhalation and burning to death is a horrible way to go. I can’t wait to get my guy back in his bubble!
[QUOTE=Snugglerug;7594020]
I confronted a woman just this weekend sitting in a golf cart and puffing away right next to the stalls at KHP. She was clearly close enough for errant sparks from the ash to light up shavings or hay, therefore putting the whole barn at risk. She backed down pretty darn quickly. I suspect there was more smoke coming out of my ears than off her cigarette.[/QUOTE]
You were nice about it, IMO. I’d have grabbed a nearby hose or fire extinguisher, or a bucket of water - “oh sorry, I saw smoke so I thought you were on fire.”
Mara, I agree.
Was at a show this weekend. At the indoor warm up the ring steward was smoking. Why should I have to ride through second hand smoke?
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